Why is My Dog’s Butt Itchy?
An itchy butt can be a frustrating problem for dogs and their owners alike. There are many potential causes of rectal itchiness. Pet parents often report seeing their pooch scooting their butt on the floor or persistently licking and biting the area around their rear end. Here are several reasons your dog may have an itchy butt and remedies you might consider.
- Full Anal Glands
Anal glands are a pair of sacs found on either side of your dog's anus. The glands produce a pheromone-rich fluid, typically expelled when pooping. However, if the sacs become too full, they can lead to discomfort and itchiness.
Most times, your dog may only require a little help expressing the glands manually. However, if not manually or naturally expelled, the full anal glands can become impacted or infected.
An abscess developing from an inflamed anal gland can be painful and costly to treat. Contact your vet immediately if you suspect an infected anal gland.
- Tail Pockets
Wrinkly dog breeds may have wrinkles in surprising places, including right under the tail. Although not all wrinkly dogs have tail pockets, some that are particularly susceptible to having them are English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and Pugs.
The tail pocket, which often resembles a dimple, can trap dirt, bacteria, fungus, and other irritants. When a dog’s tail pocket is irritated you may notice dry, flaky skin or even red, itchy skin in the area. If left untreated, the irritation could progress into a bacterial or yeast infection and you may notice an unpleasant smell.
All of that can result in discomfort, which could cause your dog to bite or scratch on the area or scooting their bottoms on the floor to ease the itch.
To prevent issues with the tail pocket it is important to clean and protect the area regularly with a Wrinkle Wipe and follow up with Wrinkle Paste.
- Allergies
Allergies can irritate or dry out the skin causing your dog to scratch, bite, lick or even scoot on the ground to sooth their itchy skin. When they do that, they risk opening the skin which makes them more prone to yeast and bacterial infections.
Using a topical cream that is made specifically for dogs that is created without water or alcohol and only the most essential ingredients is very important to calm and soothe their sensitive skin.
Squishface Wrinkle Paste was created with that in mind and does not include common allergens such as lavender, aloe, lanolin or fragrances that are so commonly found in other products. Instead, our Wrinkle Paste includes calming shea butter and protective avocado oil to soothe sensitive skin and form a water-repellent barrier on to keep moisture, yeast, fungus and other bacteria at bay.
The Bottom Line
Watching your dog scooting, scratching, licking, or wincing in discomfort due to an itchy bottom can be hard. We recommend using Squishface Wrinkle Wipes and Wrinkle Paste to help clean and protect all dog wrinkles including their tail pockets and prevent them from getting an itchy bottom.
For more information about tail pockets and how to keep them clean and protected read our blog post, “Does Your Dog Have a Tail Pocket.”
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